Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-30

aumlraDiy adapted tor the growth
of grasses, grains and vegetables, but
their compactness forbidding the growth
of trees save where planted and
and fostered by man. = On the contrary,
wherever the soil is coarse and moisture
abundant the country is always clothed
with trees and vines. 1t has been said
that person can tell in the nighttime in
such countries as Illinois whether he is in
the woodland or prairie land by simply
feeling of the soil, the difference is 50
marked and pronounced.
1t is well illustrated in this State where
the adobe lands, which are fine clay, are
always in the natural state treelesS, but
admirably adapted to the grains, grasses,
etc. The original vegetation on such
land was the wild oat, and it takes all the
skill Of the farmer to cultivate few trees
for shade on such lands. They have never
been planted in orchards, and should not
be. But for wheat and barley they are
ranked as the strongest and most prolific OF
our soils.
WHY WHEAT Is GROWN.
The cause of the land being so largely
devoted to wheat and not to fruits is that
the farmers were satisfied with the money
they are making in grain, much the same
reason why the fruit men on the Sacra-
mento river near CORTLAND. who are con-
sidered the best horticulturists in the State,
have not entered more extensively into
orange growing for the market. We
asked one of the best known and most sue
cessful orchardists near CORTLAND why he
had not engaged in orange growing long
ago. He answered, What is the matter
with peaches, Bartlett pears, apricots, etc?
Have we not made yearly from $500 to
81, 800 per acre from our lands? Would
oranges do better than that?
So with the farmers of Gridley. "What
is the matter with wheatw they say.
I" Have we not had good crops every year
and fair prices? Made money out of it
and are prosperous? Look at our farms
and houses, barns fences, stock. Do they
not all indicate thrift?'' To be sure it
takes many acres, but they have them.
But a new era is about to dawn upon them.
Their land has become too valuable to be
devoted exclusively to grain. When it
was held at $40 to $40 per acre that was
good enough remuneration on the invest
ment But now that their lands have
risen to SO to 500 per acre, and its capa-
city demonstrated by actual trial, the re-
turns from wheat growing are not suffi-
cient. Those who do not desire to engage
in horticulture can
EASILY DISPOSE OF THEIR LANDS
At price that will enable them to pur-
chase two or three times the quantity OF
good grain land in other sections, equally
as well situated as Gridley is tor cheap
transportation, but whose soil have not the
peculiar character that will enable them
to engage in diversified agriculture. Those
who will remain will dispose of portion
of their numerous acres and concentrate
their attention and labor on few. Ten
acres In fruit, nuts, or grapes in the
live-oak lands will give a greater gross and
net yield than 100 acres In grain, besides
increasing the value of the land, building
up the town of Gridley into city, etc.
Already beginning, and large one, has
been made. Trees and vines are being
planted by the acre, and the prop
osition Of building cannery is under dis
cussion. But the market for their green
fruit will be a good one, and they
will get the cream of it, too. Their fruits
will ripen as early, if not in advance of
the famed Nacaville region. They are
further removed from the cold air from
the ocean by nearly $50 miles, their alti-
tude is'net greater above sea level-being
only sixty-nine feet-while their soil. ow.
ing to its peculiar formation and unsur-
passed subsoil drainage, is, we think, much
warmer.
NO IRRIGATION FOR ANY TREE,
Vine or vegetable will ever be necessary
here. When the rain water sinks into
the soil it goes down but twelve or fourteen
feet to a quicksand, which acts as the
drain, and in which there is perennial
water. The warm soil on the surface, es-
pecially where we'll cultivated, will cause
evaporation to take place, and will draw
by capillary attraction upon this vast sub
terranean source. The vegetables too, which
will be raised here, will be no small item.
Tomatoes, melons, beans, ETC., will be so
early, and bring such remunerative prices
as will enable them to bear the freight
charges, which, as a matter of course, are
necessarily more than those who are
closer to San Francisco, and leave
larger margins of profits. All farm
ers know that there is more profit
In 100 pounds of fruit or vegetables, if
placed in the market early when they are
scarce, than in 1000 pounds when ali Sec
tions can raise them and glut the market.
Not only will they be able to compete sue
cessfully in the San Francisco market
with our section, but in many of their own
markets in the mountains and upper coun-
try they
WILL HAVE A PRACTICAL MONOPOLY
And be without a competitor. Grapes too.
Will play very important part in its pro-
ducts, both for wine and raisins. While
nearly every section can raise grapes for
the press, it has been demonstrated that
the granite soils make the very best wines.
For the curing ofraisins by the sun, which
SO far, we believe, has proven to be the
best, this section is unapproachable. The
moist-laden air which comes from the
ocean as 1t passes up the Sacramento
valley has nearly all of its humid
ity either absorbed by the soil
or driven high up in the atmosphere by
the heat, and by the time it reaches Grid
ley it is as dry as air is in any locality.
When the sun sinks and the air becomes
cooled the moisture descends. and if the
temperature Of the soil should be low
enough dew would be deposited. and any
grapes that were being dried would be in
jured. But the warm soil would again
act as protection, as it would be warmed
owing to its porosity and sandy nature to a
great depth, and would have during the
daytime stored enough heat to radiate
back and prevent the deposition of dew.
1t is wing to the dryness of the atmos-
phere that
NO SCALE INSECTS HAVE EVER BEEN SEEN
IN THIS VICINITY,
And even if they were introduced on trees
from some infected nursery, could not sur
viye. Scale can only live and propagate
its species where it is warm and moist.
Heat and dryness is fatal TO its propagation
or even existence. Its limits are bounded
and we believe that where lichens and moss
es of certain varieties will not thrive would
be fatal to the scale 1t has been often OBJ
served by those who visit San Francisco,
that all the implanted fences and barns
are soon covered with lichens, many OF
them being of n pale green and yellow,
covering ali kinds of wood, both alive and
dead, with their singular verdure 1t is
also noticeable even in this vicinity on
some old decaying fences and trees. In
such localities the scale thrives.
At Gridley or vicinity we could not see
the slightest vestige. though we looked for